Chapter 1 | Wolves in Sheep's Clothing (1)

Celestin opened her eyes and got up from bed without any expression. She went straight into the mirror, just a few steps across her bed, and look at her young reflection. A pale-faced woman appeared before her, with gray hair like ashes from a fireplace and eyes like ice, clear yet cold.

"I'm 18 again. How nice." She sarcastically smirked after.

Celestin always regresses at the age of 18, just three years before her supposed death. 

'I have no time for this. I must continue where I left off.'

"Celestin... Is that you?" Celestin heard a voice calling out to her, but she stayed silent.

She didn't want to waste her time talking to that girl, but if she called her one more time,

"Celestin?" The girl continuously blinked her eyes, trying to see Celestin's face.

"Why won't you answer me?"

'Tsk, how annoying.'

This time Celestin turned to the woman, and an unexpected smile flashed on her lips.

"Reign," A cold voice answered the woman making her completely stunned. Because even though Celestin was smiling, the girl could feel the chill slowly creeping in her spine.

"Where are you going?" Anywhere, as long as you're not there.

"I'm going to train." a smile again, escaped Celestin's mouth.

"Are you serious? It's only one o'clock." Reign was astonished at Celestin's answer. And it was clear on her widened eyes that the girl has shocked her greatly. But Celestin just turned around and continued walking. Her earlier smile was replaced by a horrible grin.

"You still have not changed."

She just walked until he reached the Forbidden Woods. A forest that students in the academy are forbidden to enter because no one has escaped alive from it yet.

As Celestin marched into the forest, she saw a signage that read. "Strictly forbidden, Do not enter. Unless you want to court your death" It was a place protected by a barrier that even phasers can not pass through. Only authorized personnel is allowed.

But for Celestin, breaking through the barrier without alerting anybody is child's play. She broke through it like passing through a bubble.

"Nice to be here again," She said and smiled as she continued to move forward, paving her way through the deepest part of the forest.

Celestin knows the forest like the back of her hand, for it was her training ground and her comfort zone. So when she reached the most aloof part of the forest, she started to train in an instant.

An immense aura suddenly emerged from her body. She closed her eyes and felt the energy surrounding her, different colors representing different energies. It was getting sucked on her body quickly, so she's focusing hard to make it flow through her veins. She could feel every single flow. It was so cold that it felt like it was burning.

Time passed by, and beads of sweat started flowing from her head, yet her face is still calm as it can be.

Hmm, this is getting a little hard.

After six hours of concentrating, she opened her eyes and breathed big chunks of air. Celestin suddenly stood up and took a position. Her eyebrows furrowed and her teeth chattered.

And after a few seconds, a blazing blue flame suddenly covered the forest, but Celestin just let it go. If there was no barrier surrounding the forest, the fire would probably have spread throughout the academy as well.

"All right, spread more... swallow Yves' forest."

When all the trees in the area turned to ashes, Celestin looked up. And before she knew it, everything was consumed by the rushing water. It completely extinguishes the fire that has been eating everything alive earlier. Then the water gradually disappeared, as if the thirsty ground were drinking it. Soon, the weeds began to grow in the ground and plants also grew along rapidly.

"Still not enough, I need to be faster." She repeated this process for two hours until she was completely bored.

"Tsk." Celestin's fists clenched and she took a deep breath.

Suddenly, her wounds illuminated, and they gradually healed. She laughed at what happened and slowly sat down.

"Hmm... I guess I have to stop here," As Celestin said these words a very dark aura surrounded her, and in a flash, she disappeared into the forest and returned to the opposite side of their dormitory.

"Very convenient," She said and entered the dormitory to change into his sweat-soaked clothes.

It is more difficult to sharpen the mind than to strengthen the body. And Celestin’s experiences were there to prove it.

"Celestin?"A deep-resonated voice called her. The voice she heard was serious and it emits the feeling of mystery.

Celestin knows this voice. Because this is the voice of the man she first loved... and the man who betrayed her. She did not answer but just stared at him. The stare was full of bitterness and hatred. Then suddenly, the man's eyebrows twitched.

"I'm talking to you." Celestin showed no reaction to his second call, she just spoke.

"And who might you be?" Her voice was free from any interest yet it was full of innocence as if she had just met him for the first time in her life.

Confusion became visible in Trent's face. He was questioning why Celestin was denying him, or why she didn't cling or smiled when she saw him.

"Reign told me that—"

Celestin ignored him and continued to walk past him.

Her third life is still vivid and clear in her memories. She can still remember what Trent did as if it just happened yesterday.

...

"Celestin..."

"T-Trent? W-what are you d-doing here?" Celestin's lower lip is trembling in fear. She could feel her blood running cold. So much dread was now starting to build up in her guts and she could feel it.

'What do I do? What do I do? They have found me. They are going to kill me again. Wait, no. It's Trent. He's my brother! He's not going to kill me?"

But all those thoughts she had, dispersed when Celestine saw Trent's merciless eyes. It was piercing through her. And just by looking at those dark eyes, Celestin immediately knew. She would die.

"You have to die for Reign to survive..." he was gritting his teeth as he looked straight at Celestin's eyes. No mercy could be seen, only ruthlessness and savagery.

"W-what? I don't understand." Celestin looked straight into Trent's eyes which were emitting so much bloodlust. And she knew that it was for her.

"The enemies have captured Reign. And they're asking for you."

"What? D-did they ask you to kill me?" She asked and slowly crawled back using her hands. She swallowed over and over again hoping to kill the nervousness within her.

'But why? I don't even know them?'

"No..." he clenched his fists,"...But isn't that just the same? What will they do even if they have you? You're useless."

Celestine almost stopped breathing when she heard Trent say those words. 

"N-no, you can't do this to me, please! I beg you to spare me!" She hoped. Even though she knew that it was nonsensical to beg. She hoped to be spared and to live.

"I can't do that... I can't let Reign die for you to live."

"B-but you said that you're going to protect me, didn't you? You promised me!" Celestin bowed and held Trent's leg. She clenched it as hard as she could as if it was something that could save her from demise.

"I know that! But isn't Reign also your sister? You are both the headmaster's daughters! So couldn't you sacrifice yourself for her and stop being selfish?"

Trent exploded. It has never happened. He never shouted at Celestine before.

"Selfish? I-I'm not selfish..."

'How can I be selfish? How can you say that to me, Trent? When all I've ever done was to help you and Reign get your happy ending? When I've never asked for anything but your happiness? How come Trent? How come?'

Celestine wanted to voice out the words in her head, but the lump in her throat was stopping her. She couldn't muster the strength to talk back for her life was at stake.

"And besides... didn't you tell me that it's your third life?"

Celestine flinched. It was a mistake. She never intended to tell him. It was a slip of the tongue.

"N-no, I—" She trembled as fear choked her. Her scalp prickled and her mouth went dry.

"So dying must be easy since you already died twice. You can die today and wake up again!"

Trent's eyes became colder. Then he slowly opened his clenched fist, a sword made of ice casually formed in there.

"P-please don't do this, please! I love you!" She immediately cupped her mouth when she realized what she just said. 

'I am too stupid! Why did I say that?'

Trent stilled and stared at her for quite a long time. Therefore, Celestin thought that she could have the chance to live. But what happened next broke her heart into million pieces.

"Who cares? I only have her in my heart, and I have no intentions of letting you take even a millimeter of space in there. That's why even if I have to chop you to pieces or tear you apart. I will do it for her. And let me tell you this, even if she's not there, I still won't love you. Never." He cruelly answered as he tightened his grip on his sword.

"Sorry, I-I didn't mean to—" tears started streaming down her face. It was as if someone stabbed her with thousands of knives at the same time. The only sound that escapes from her lips were sobs and whimpers. She can't breathe properly. 

'My brother, the Trent I once look up to, is now gone. I can't believe that it's my brother. That Trent who told me that he's going to protect me. The one who saves me whenever I needed help. That Trent tried to stop my father in my first life from executing me. That Trent, who is always cold but has a warm heart. I can't believe it.'

"Now die for me Celestin, die for our happiness," Trent said and pierced the sword through Celestin's chest. A sound was heard in the dark and quiet room as if something was being torn.

Celestin did not scream despite the burning sensation occupying her whole being. It was something she hasn't felt before, it felt like torture. But despite that, she just gritted her teeth and chose to bear with the pain in silence. Crimson blood steadily dripped from her chest. She was bleeding profusely that even the ice sword was almost covered with her blood. She slowly stared at the sword impaling her. She mustered the last of her strength and raise both of her hands only to hold the blade and tried her best to remove it. But she could barely hold the sword, let alone pull it out.

Trent saw the girl's struggle, so he ruthlessly glanced at her and forcefully withdrew the sword. And because of the sudden pressure, the vessels surrounding her chest ruptured, causing her bleeding to worsen. Celestin fell on the floor like a puppet with its strings cut. Seeing this, the man cold-heartedly wiped off Celestin's blood from the sword and disappeared without a word. Leaving the poor girl on the cold and hard floor as a candle with its fire extinguished.

Celestin once again felt weak, naive, and stupid— like an ant against a giant. Like a small and helpless bug that anyone could step on. Hence, she died alone. She was murdered by a man named Trent, someone whom she loved for three consecutive lives.

And what's worse? She couldn't do anything but cry and beg for him to spare her worthless life.